Machine for splicing communication cables

ABSTRACT

The machine is for splicing communication cables. An anvil on a base plate and a hammer mounted for movement on the base plate crimps connectors therebetween. The connectors are attached to a web in a web holder. Feed means attached to the base plate feeds the connector between the anvil and hammer in pairs.

I United States Patent [191 [111 3,789,482 Ray Feb. 5, 1974 [5 MACHINE FOR SPLICING 3,037,545 6/1962 hin e; et a1. 72/426 COMMUNICATION CABLES 3,135,310 4/1964 Stoltz 29/203 D 3,481,018 12/1969 Van De Kerkhof 29/203 D [76] Inventor: Jimmy C. Ray, Rt. 1 Box 226,

Mineral Wells, Tex. 76067 Primary ExaminerThomas H. Eager [22] Filed 1972 Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Wende1l Coffee [21] Appl. No.: 278,757

Related us. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 525,506, Feb. 7, 1966, [57] ABSTRACT abandoned.

The machine is for splicing communication cables. An [52] US. Cl D anvi] on a base plate and a hammer mounted for IIIL CL... movement on the base plate crimps'connectors there. 1 1 Held "M n 29/203 203 3310; between. The connectors are attached to a web in a 100/272; 72/4 6 web holder. Feed means attached to the base plate feeds the connector between the anvil and hammer in [56] References Cited i UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,963,775 12/1960 Chadwick 29/203 D 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 5, 1974 I 3,789,482

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVENTOR JIMMY C. RAY

Patented Feb. 5, 1974 FIG. 4

2 Sheets-Sh FIG.

eet 2 INVENTOR JIMMY C. RAY h MACHINE FOR SPLICING COMMUNICATION CABLES This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 525,506, filed Feb. 7, 1966, now abandoned.

This invention relates to splicing communication cables and, more particularly, to a method and means for splicing the various wires of a bundle of wires-forming a telephone cable.

At present, telephone cables are spliced by matching by color one wire each from the two cables to be spliced, cutting with hand shears the two wires to even the ends, inserting the two ends of the wires together into an insulated connector, and then crimping the connector and the wires with a pliers-like tool.

According to this invention, the connectors are mounted in pairs upon a web. Then, two pairs of Wires (the wires are in pairs in each cable) are selected and combined from the two adjacent cables to be spliced and the four wires are sheared to an even length. The two matched pairs of wires are inserted into a pair of connectors which are mounted upon the web and then the pair of connectors crimped and the web cut. Obviously, doing this by hand with the connectors mounted upon a web would be an improvement. However, more important, the mounting of the connectors on a web adapts the operation for mechanization. A simple machine is provided with pneumatic cylinder so that, with one stroke of the cylinder, the wires are cut and, upon the other stroke of the cylinder, the connectors are crimped and the web severed. Upon the shearing stroke, another pair of connectors are positioned upon an anvil under a hammer.

An object of this invention is to splice cables of communication wires.

Another object is to splice cables of communication wires more quickly and with better quality and more uniform joints.

Another object is to achieve the above without strain on the operator while still achieving higher production per operator.

A further object is to provide a machine which is free of trouble in operation.

Still further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, simple, portable, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture and operate.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, the different view of which are not necessarily to the same scale, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a machine according to this invention with parts broken away. I

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the web with connectors attached thereto.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the wire shears, taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the hammer and anvil with connector on the anvil, taken on Line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the machine is constructed upon base plate 10. A cover is provided for a finished machine; however, for ease ofillustration, it is not shown.

Double-stroke pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder or motor 12 is attached at it closed end by pin 14 to the base plate 10. Piston rod 16 of the cylinder is attached to the middle pivot pin 18 of toggle links 20 and 22. Toggle link 20 is pivoted on the other end to the base plate 10, while the other end of toggle link 22 is attached to hammer 24. Therefore, upon the extension of the rod 16, the toggle links will cause the hammer to move against anvil 26, which is attached to the base plate 10. The working face of the hammer 24 and the working face of the anvil 26 are parallel to each other and at a right angle to the surface of the base plate 10 as shown.

The pneumatic cylinder 12 is powered by air under pressure from a source not shown and is activated by a valve, also not shown, inasmuch as valves for this purpose are well known.

Wire shear blade 28 is pivoted by pin 30 to the base plate 10. The blade is either attached to or an integral part of lever 32. On the opposite end of the lever from the blade 28., the lever is pivoted to pitman 34. The other end of the pitman 34 is pivoted to link 22 adjacent to the piston rod 16. The pitman extends along the cylinder or motor 12. When the toggle links break toward the cylinder, the working face of the hammer 24 is away from the piston rod 16.

Analysis of the mechanism, with the assistance of the drawing, shows that, as the piston rod is retracted, the hammer is raised and the shear blade will be on the working stroke, shearing against shoulder 36 of notch 38. When the piston rod 16 is extended, the shear blade 28 is retracted to open the notch 38 while the hammer 24 is on the working stroke. Paper knife 40 is attached to the hammer 24 to cut web or paper strip 42 upon the working stroke of the hammer. A notch is provided in the anvil for the paper knife to work in. Also, guides in the form'of bearing rails 44 are attached to the base plate to guide the hammer in rectilinear motion.

The connectors 46 are well known to the art and consist of metal cups 48 which have internal prongs on the interior and are encased or telescoped within insulating sleeve 50. In use, the two wires are inserted side by side into the connector and the connector crimped. The crimping does not rupture the insulating sleeve, but it does force the prongs into electrical conducting contact with the wires. As stated before, the connectors are .well known to the art and are the same connectors as used by the present hand method. The crimping operation is the same except that, according to my in- .vention, the connectors are crimped between hammer 24 and anvil 26 uniformly, rather than being crimped with a hand-actuated pliers-like crimping tool.

The connectors are mounted in adjacent pairs upon the paper strip or web 42. As shown in this embodiment, the pairs are mounted with their axes normal to the axis of the web. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the axes of the connectors could be aligned with the axis of the web, still being mounted in adjacent pairs. However, it is preferred to mount the pairs transverse, as shown. A roll enclosure or holder 52 is provided upon the base plate 10. Roll 54 of the web 42 with the connectors 46 is kept in the roll enclosure. The end of the roll is fed through chute 56 to anvil 26. The web is fed by feeder finger 58, which is pivoted to feeder arm 60. The feeder arm 60 is attached to block 62 which slides within guide tracks 64. The block 62 is attached to the end of the piston rod 16 by connecting rod 66.

Reiterating the material found in the introduction, in operation, the operator chooses a pair of wires from the two cables to be spliced together, holds them parallel with the ends together, and inserts themjinto notch 38. Then, he operates the valve to retract the piston rod 16, thereby shearing the wires to equal length by wire shear blade 28. In this stroke, the feeder finger 58 will index a pair of connectors 46 onto the anvil 26 underneath the hammer 24. The operator then inserts a wire from each pair into each of the two connectors 46 which are then under the hammer 24. Upon reversal of the operating valve, the piston rod 16 is extended, causing the hammer to crimp the two connectors, the paper knife 40 to sever the web 42, and the feeder finger 58 to move over the next adjacent pair of connectors. The

feeder finger S8 is pivoted to the feeder arm 60 so that it pivots upward to index over a pair of connectors, but pivots downward to positively move the pair forward. After the hammer has crimped the two connectors, the operator turns loose of the four wires in the two connectors, chooses an additional pair of wires from each cable, and inserts them into the notch 38 to repeat the process.

It will be apparent that the embodiment shown is only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in operation, construction, materials, and arrangement within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for splicing communication cables comprising:

a. a base plate,

b. an anvil attached to the base plate,

c. a hammer mounted for movement on the base plate to move against the anvil,

d. a toggle linkage including:

i. a first toggle link pivoted to the base plate,

ii. a second toggle link attached to the hammer,

and

iii. a middle pivot pin connecting the first and second toggle link together,

e. a pneumatic cylinder i. pivoted to the base plate with ii. a poston rod extending therefrom,

f. said piston rod connected to said toggle linkage between the pivot of the first link to the base plate and the attachment of the second link to the hammer,

g. feed means attached to the base plate for feeding a pair of a series of connectors attached to a web upon the anvil,

h. said feed means connected to said toggle linkage so that said feed means is actuated to advance a pair of connectors by each cycle of movement of said toggle linkage, and

j. a knife attached to the hammer for severing, upon each movement of the hammer, a web upon which are attached connectors,

k. so that a matched pair of wires may be inserted into each pair of connectors attached to a web upon the anvil, the connectors are then crimped by the hammer and the web cut by the knife.

2. A device for splicing communication cables comprising:

a. a base plate, b. an anvil attached to the base plate,

c. a hammer mounted for movement on the base plate to move against the anvil,

d. power means attached to the base plate for moving the hammer against the anvil,

e. a web holder attached to the base plate,

f. a web in the web holder with g. a series of pairs of connectors attached thereto with a space on the web between each pari of connectors,

h. each connector having a cup j. encased in insulation,

k. feed means attached to the base plate for feeding a pair of connectors upon the anvil,

m. said web extending along the feed means and terminating at the anvil,

n. so that a matched pair of wires may be inserted into each of the pairs of connectors upon the anvil which are then crimped by the hammer,

a knife attached to the hammer for severing the web upon movement of the hammer,

g. a pneumatic cylinder pivoted to the base plate,

r. a toggle linkage interconnecting the base plate,

hammer, and piston rod of said cylinder,

u. a feed finger mounted for movement toward and away from said anvil,

v. said finger movingly engaged with one of said connectors on said web when moving toward said anvil, but

w. movingly disengaged from said connectors when moving away from said anvil,

x. said feed finger is pivoted to a feed arm, and

y. a connecting rod connects said feed arm to the piston rod of said cylinder.

3. A device for splicing communication cables comprising:

a. a base plate,

b. an anvil attached to the base plate,

c. a hammer mounted for movement on the base plate to move against the anvil,

d. power means attached to the base plate for moving the hammer against the anvil,

e. a web holder attached to the base plate,

f. a web in the web holder with g. a series of pairs of connectors attached thereto,

h. the connectors of each pair being i. close together so they are at least nearly touching, ii. the space between each of the pairs exceeding the space between the connectors of each pair,

iii. the space between pairs being at least as much as about the width of a connector,

j. each connector having a cup k. encased in insulation,

m. feed means attached to the base plate for feeding a pair of connectors upon the anvil,

n. said web extending along the feed means and terminating at the anvil,

.i. so that a matched pair of wires may be inserted into each of the pairs of connectors upon the anvil which are then crimped by the hammer.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said feed means includes:

q. a feed finger mounted for movement toward and away from said anvil,

r. said finger movingly engaged with one of said connectors on said web when moving toward said anvil, but

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said feed means includes:

u. a feed finger mounted for movement toward and away from said anvil,

v. said finger movingly engaged with one of said connectors on said web when moving toward said anvil, but

w. movingly disengaged from said connectors when moving away from said. anvil. 

1. A machine for splicing communication cables comprising: a. a base plate, b. an anvil attached to the base plate, c. a hammer mounted for movement on the base plate to move against the anvil, d. a toggle linkage including: i. a first toggle link pivoted to the base plate, ii. a second toggle link attached to the hammer, and iii. a middle pivot pin connecting the first and second toggle link together, e. a pneumatic cylinder i. pivoted to the base plate with ii. a poston rod extending therefrom, f. said piston rod connected to said toggle linkage between the pivot of the first link to the base plate and the attachment of the second link to the hammer, g. feed means attached to the base plate for feeding a pair of a series of connectors attached to a web upon the anvil, h. said feed means connected to said toggle linkage so that said feed means is actuated to advance a pair of connectors by each cycle of movement of said toggle linkage, and j. a knife attached to the hammer for severing, upon each movement of the hammer, a web upon which are attached connectors, k. so that a matched pair of wires may be inserted into each pair of connectors attached to a web upon the anvil, the connectors are then crimped by the hammer and the web cut by the knife.
 2. A device for splicing communication cables comprising: a. a base plate, b. an anvil attached to the base plate, c. a hammer mounted for movement on the base plate to move against the anvil, d. power means attached to the base plate for moving the hammer against the anvil, e. a web holder attached to the base plate, f. a web in the web holder with g. a series of pairs of connectors attached thereto with a space on the web between each pari of connectors, h. each connector having a cup j. encased in insulation, k. feed means attached to the base plate for feeding a pair of connectors upon the anvil, m. said web extending along the feed means and terminating at the anvil, n. so that a matched pair of wires may be inserted into each of the pairs of connectors upon the anvil which are then crimped by the hammer, a knife attached to the hammer for severing the web upon movement of the hammer, g. a pneumatic cylinder pivoted to the base plate, r. a toggle linkage interconnecting the base plate, hammer, and piston rod of said cylinder, u. a feed finger mounted for movement toward and away from said anvil, v. said finger movingly engaged with one of said connectors on said web when moving toward said anvil, but w. movingly disengaged from said connectors when moving away from said anvil, x. said feed finger is pivoted to a feed arm, and y. a connecting rod connects said feed arm to the piston rod of said cylinder.
 3. A device for splicing communication cables comprising: a. a base plate, b. an anvil attached to the base plate, c. a hammer mounted for movement on the base plate to move against the anvil, d. power means attached to the base plate for moving the hammer against the anvil, e. A web holder attached to the base plate, f. a web in the web holder with g. a series of pairs of connectors attached thereto, h. the connectors of each pair being i. close together so they are at least nearly touching, ii. the space between each of the pairs exceeding the space between the connectors of each pair, iii. the space between pairs being at least as much as about the width of a connector, j. each connector having a cup k. encased in insulation, m. feed means attached to the base plate for feeding a pair of connectors upon the anvil, n. said web extending along the feed means and terminating at the anvil, i. so that a matched pair of wires may be inserted into each of the pairs of connectors upon the anvil which are then crimped by the hammer.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said feed means includes: q. a feed finger mounted for movement toward and away from said anvil, r. said finger movingly engaged with one of said connectors on said web when moving toward said anvil, but s. movingly disengaged from said connectors when moving away from said anvil.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 3 with an additional limitation of q. a knife attached to the hammer for servering the web upon each movement of the hammer.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said motor means includes: r. a pneumatic cylinder pivoted to the base plate, and s. a toggle linkage interconnecting the base plate, hammer, and piston rod of said cylinder.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said feed means includes: u. a feed finger mounted for movement toward and away from said anvil, v. said finger movingly engaged with one of said connectors on said web when moving toward said anvil, but w. movingly disengaged from said connectors when moving away from said anvil. 